One Day Academy

Process/Purpose

Jesus offers His followers an ‘abundant life’ in Him. And yet, why are so many of us weighed down with anxiety, depression, addictions and fear?

Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior, and while there are many theories on the topic, there is no better place to look than Scripture, where we discover who we are and what motivates our lives. The instructor will lead the class in exploring human thought processes and behavior in light of biblical truth.

This will be an excellent intro course in Psychology, while laying a solid biblical foundation for those interested in careers in counseling, social work, missions and ministry. This class will also serve as a catalyst for personal spiritual transformation for the student. Small group discussions, weekly journaling assignments and bible meditation will take the teachings and bring it to a personal level.

Topics include:

• Our Unique Design: personality and learning styles

• Brain processes: thought life and its effect on behavior

• Relational Health: conflict resolution and the power of forgiveness

• Disorders: Anxiety, Eating Disorders, Addictions, Depression

• Community: connecting relationships as a foundation for emotional health

Psychology & Scripture is a Bible-centered course that examines human behavior, brain functioning, and a Biblical analysis of human beings. Accompanying each unit, students assess an aspect of human psychology with Scripture. Over the course of one academic year, students will study:

• Human Thought, Behavior, & Sin: How does God expect humans to behave? How much of what we do is in our control? Are we a product of our genetics? Where does neuroscience fit with God’s expectation for behavior?

• Personality & the Image of God: What do our personalities teach us about God and ourselves?

• Common Mental Health Disorders & Biblical Counseling: What does the Bible say about      depression/anxiety? Eating disorders? Trauma? Neurodiversity? What does being a friend to someone with these in their background look like?

• Interpersonal Conflict: What does the Bible say about redemption and forgiveness? How does this fit with contemporary psychology?

• Self-Help Culture & Scripture: What do trends in pop culture teach us about human behavior?      How does personal responsibility fit with God’s sovereignty?

• Christianity & Psychology: How should Christians view psychology? What are the different views? How do they impact Christian living?

Using the Bible, textbook, case studies, and self-assessment, students will examine the Biblical view of humanity in light of psychology. With a strong emphasis on self-reflection and personal experience, students are challenged to apply the information in this course to their personal and spiritual lives. Devotional-style Bible reading guides the student’s understanding of the human mind and human behavior from a biblical perspective.

Students can expect homework to consist of reading the textbook, reading Bible passages, journaling, self-assessments, and experiments. In class, students will be assigned to discussion groups and/or work with a randomly assigned partner on a weekly basis. On occasion, students will conduct social or psychological experiments.

This course is designed for high school students aged 14-18.

This course is an academic introduction to psychology from a biblical perspective. The content of this class parallels the content covered in a general psychology class at the undergraduate level, but it is spaced over one school year and has additional Christian worldview components. For one school year, students will learn the fundamentals of psychology, including:

1. The history of psychology

2. The main schools of thought in psychology

3. Topical psychology, like emotion, cognition, visual processing, etc.

4. Famous psychologists and their experiments

A biblical worldview frames all topics using the Bible, textbook, case studies, and relevant scholarly articles. Each school of thought is compared and contrasted with biblical truth, and students will examine psychology from a Christian perspective. As students familiarize themselves with typical symptoms of common mental health disorders, they will practice introductory diagnostic techniques. Through case studies, biblical analysis, and discussion, students will learn discernment around medical ethics in psychology. Throughout the course, students will discuss career options in the field of psychology at every level of education, from a high school diploma to a doctorate.

Students can expect to spend 2-4 hours weekly on homework assignments. To prepare for college-level research, students will read various materials: textbooks, case studies, self-reported surveys, and scholarly journals. Students will complete self-analysis assessments, conduct psychological experiments, and observe video recordings. During class at One Day Academy, content regularly swaps between lecture and instructor-led discussion. Students will also discuss homework in small groups.